R-44 helicopterRobinson R 44 helicopter model. The R44, designed during the 1980s by company president Frank Robinson and his staff of engineers, first flew on March 31, 1990. It was awarded an FAA Type Certificate in December 1992, with the first deliveries taking place shortly thereafter. Originally, the R44 Astro was the main production model, but was dropped in favor of the hydraulically assisted R44 "Raven" in 2000. The Raven II model (2002 onwards) used a fuel